Toy or game device



(No llodl.)

ITIIESSES %2 2 Sheets-hef 1. W. W. FLYE.

TOY 0R GAME DEVICE.

Patented Nov. 3, 1896.

A TTORNEYJT I l I I (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. W. W. FLYE.

TOY 0R GAME DEVICE. No. 570,544. Patented Nov. 3, 1896.

A WIT/(52958 i ATTORIIEYJT UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VINFIELD \VILLIAM FLYE, OF EAST HIRAM, MAINE.

TOY OR GAME DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,544, dated November 3, 1896. Application filed May 25, 1396- Serial No. 593,084. (No model.)

To all whom, 116 HUI/L7] (JO/LCEPIL.

Be it known that I, 'WINFIELD WILLIAM FLYE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of East Hiram, in the county of OX- ford and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy or Game Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings, forming a part thereof, in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to toys and game devices, and the object thereof is to provide an improved device of this class which consists of a toy fort which is provided with a plurality of target slides or plungers on each side thereof, and portions of the walls of which are adapted to be battered down or knocked out each time that one of the target slides or plungers is hit, said fort being also provided with a flagstaif, in connection with which a system of gear-wheels are employed, which are adapted to be operated at a predetermined time by one of the target slides or plungers, and by means of which a flag thereon is lowered and another flag raised.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompany: ing drawings form a part, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved toy fort; Fig. 2, a partial plan view thereof; Fig. 3, a partial section on the line ac of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a side view of the flagstafi, with the operative mechanism connected therewith; and Fig. 5, an opposite side view of the base of the flagstaff and the operative mechanism connected therewith.

In the practice of my invention I provide a fort which comprises a base or bottom plate or board 8, on which are built up side and end walls 9 and 10, as shown in Fig. 1, said end walls being composed of separate bricks or blocks, which may be composed of wood or any desired material. I also employ a plurality of movable target slides or plungers 11, seven of which are preferably employed, on each side of the fort, and said slides or plungers are arranged at the bottom thereof, and are adapted to move over the bottom or base plate or board 8. Each of these plungers, ex-

cept the central one on each side, is pivotally connected, as shown at 12 in Figs. 2 and 3,

with a vertical lever 13, in which is formed a vertical slot 14, and the upper end of each lever is provided with an outwardly-directed arm 15, which is adapted to bear upon the adjacent wall, and each of the target slides or plungers is numbered on the outer end thereof, as shown in Fig. 1, said numbers being arranged as follows, beginning with the by which arrangement the number 7 is at the center on each side.

Arranged longitudinally and centrally of the fort are two vertical plates or partitions 16, through'which the inner ends of the target slides or plungers, which are reduced in size and cylindrical in form, pass, and between said partit-ion-plates on each side are vertical standards 17, six ofwhich are employed, three on each side of the central slides or plungers, and these standards 17 are provided on their tops with outwardly-directed arms 18, the outer ends of which are provided with pins or bolts 19, which pass through the slots 14: in the levers 13, and mounted on the cylindrical portions of each of the target slides or plungers, with the exception of the central ones, are spiral springs 20, which bear upon the standards 17 at one end and :upon a shoulder or projection 21, formed on the slides or plungers. The operation of these springs is to force the plungers outwardly, as

shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and passing longitudinally through each end of the fort, at the bottom thereof and on each side and beneath the three plungers at each side of the central plunger, are rods or bars 22, on which are formed, between each of said slides or plungers, lugs or projections 23; and pivotally supported at 24, between each of said plungers and between said rods or bars and the adjacent side walls of the fort, are levers 25, through the inner ends of which said rods pass, and .the free end of the lever 25 on the inner side of the plunger numbered 1 is adapted to operate in connection with a notch or recess in the plunger numbered 2, as

shown at 26, and the lever on-the inner side of the plunger numbered 2 is adapted to operate in connection with a notch or recess 26 in the plunger numbered r 3, and the lever on .the inner side of the plunger numbered 3 is adapted to operate in connection with a notch or recess 26 in the plunger numbered 7, and, beginning with the right, the free end of the lever on theinner side of the plunger numbered l is adapted to operate in connection with a notch or recess 26 in the plunger numbered 5, and the lever adjacent to the inner side of the plunger numbered 5 is adapted to operate in connection with a notch or recess 26 in the plunger numbered G, and the lever adjacent to the inner side of the plunger numbered G is adapted to operate in connection with a similar notch or recess 26 in the plunger numbered 7.

Each of the plungers 1, 2, 3, and

6, 5, and 4 are provided on theirinner sides with pins or projections 27, which are adapted to force the ends of the levers 25, through which the rods 22 pass, inwardly to free them from the notches or recesses 26 in the adjacent plungers, and pivotally connected with the bot-tom of the fort, at the opposite corners thereof, are levers 28, one end of which is adapted to operate in connection with'a notch or recess 29 in the plungers numbered 4:, and connected with said lever 28 is a rod 30, the inner end of which is connected with the lever 25 on the opposite side of the central plunger 7 The central plunger 7 on each side passes through the adjacent partition-plate 16, and each plunger is provided with a reduced extension, as shown at 31 in Fig. 3, and each of these plungers 7 is also provided centrally thereofwith a vertical standard 32, to which is secured a rod or bar 33,which passes through the corresponding partition-plate 16, and mounted on said rods or bars between the standards 32 and said partition-plate is a spiral spring 33, which operates to force the plunger outwardly.

Arranged centrally of the fort is a vertical standard 34:, which carries at its upper end a flagstaff 35, and mounted on said standard, at one side thereof, is a gear-wheel 36, on the outer side of which is formed a ring or flange 37, which is provided at regular intervals with notches or recesses 38, which are, preferably, three in number, and above the wheel 36 is a shaft 39, on one end of which is mounted a pinion 40, and on the central portion thereof, in a slot or opening formed in said standard 31, is mounted a pulley 41, and at the top of the flagstaff is another pulley 42, and a cord or rope 43 is mounted on said pulleys and adapted to carry flags H and 45.

The flag all may be the flag of any nation, and the flag a5 is designed to represent a white or surrender flag, and in practice I preferably print thereon \Ve surrender.

At the bottom of the standard 3t is an arm 46, which carries at its outer end a cranklever l7, the upper end of which is adapted to operate in connection with the notches or recesses '38 in the ring or flange 37, which is the central plungers 7 passes through the base of the standard 34 and is provided with an arm 4.), which is adapted to operate in'connection with the upper end of the lever 47 and force it outwardly, and the inner end of the opposite central plunger 7, which is reduced in size, as shown at 31, is provided with a pin or projection 50, which-is adapted to operate upon the lower end of said lever, so as to force the upper end thereof outwardly and disengage it from the notches or recesses 38.

' The arm 46 is connected with the base of the standard 34 by a yoke 51, and on the 0pposite end of the shaft 52, on which the wheel 36 is mounted, is a strong spiral spring 53, one end of which is secured to said shaft and the other to a pin or projection 54:.

The flags i4 and 45 are connected with the rope or cord 43 bymeans of rings 55, which are secured to the lower corners thereof, and detachable spring-clamps 56, which are secured t0 the upper corners thereof, and in the normal position of the rope or cord 43 the spring 53 is wound up and the white or surrender flag is at its lowermost position,

Each time that one of the target slides or plungers, with the exception of the central one on each side, is struck the upper end of the lever 13 connected therewith is forced outwardly and the portion of the wall will be knocked out or OE, and these levers, but one of which is shown in Fig. 3, are preferably of different lengths, so that the upper portions and central portions of the wall may be knocked out, and the portions adapted to be knocked out or off are shown by the irregular lines or spaces inclosed thereby and numbered 57 in Fig. 1.

In practice there will be preferably two ongaged in playing the. game or firing on the fort, and ordinary balls, marbles, or similar devices will be shot or otherwise projected at the ends of the target slides or plungers, and in this operation the slides or plungers num bered from 1 to 3 -will be operated in the order named,-and when the plungernumbered 1 is hit it will .be driven inwardly and the pin or projection 27 will release the lever 25 from the plungernumbered 2, and this'operation will be repeated as the plungers 2,

3, 4:, 5, and 6 are hit, and when each of the plungers 3 and 6 have been hit the levers 25 will be released from the central plungers 7 -and the said central plunger may then be hit inthe same manner, and

wheel 36, and said wheel will be revolved, and L with it the pinion 4,0, and the flag 44 will .be

lowered and the flag 45 will be raised, this operation being accomplished by the spring 53; and in order to rewind the spring and lower the flag 45 and raise the fiaglat it is only necessary to pull downwardly in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 4, when the flags will again assume the position shown in said figure, and in this operation the lever 47 must be disconnected from the ring or flange 38 on the wheel 36.

In Fig. 2 the outwardly-directed arms 18, which are formed on or connected with the upper ends of the standards 17, are cut away, as shown at 58, and the levers 13 are omitted, but it will be understood that the construction on each side of the fort is exactly the same in all its details, and the object of the rods 30 is to release the levers 28 from the slides or plungers at, when the slides or plungers 3 are driven inwardly, in order that said slide or plunger at may be next operated upon, and this is accomplished by means of the lever 25, with which said rods are connected, said levers being operated upon to produce this result by the pins or projections 27 on the plungers numbered 3, when the latter are driven inwardly, and the object of the pins or projections 23 on the rods 22 is to provide means for resetting the levers 25 whenever necessary.

It will be understood, of course, that one child or party alone may accomplish this result and be amused thereby, the operation beingmuch more entertainingif two are engaged, in which event the efiort will be which one can first succeed in hitting each of the plungers in the order named and lowering the flag i4 and raising the flag 45.

In order to lower the flag 45 and raise the flag 44 without operating the wheel 36, it is only necessary to release the spring clamps or fastening device 56 from the rope or cord 43, and said rope may be easily moved into any desired position, the rings 55 being free to slide on said rope or cord. I also provide pins 70, which are secured to the plunger 11, and which are designed to prevent said plungers from being forced too far outwardly, and instead of making the walls of bricks or blocks of wood or other material they may be composed of integral plates or boards of wood or similar material, which may be painted or lined so as to represent bricks or blocks, and the parts thereof designed to be knocked out when the targets are hit may be cut out with a scroll -saw, and these parts may be knocked out and replaced as often as desired.

It is evident that changes in and modifications of the construction herein described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages, and I reserve the right to make all such alterations therein and modifications thereof as fairly come within the scope of the invention.

Having fully described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a toy fort,the combination with a suit-' able base or bottom, of walls composed of bricks or blocks, target slides or plungers which pass through said walls, levers connected with said slides or plungers,and adapted to be operated thereby to knock out portions of the walls of the fort from within, a fiagstaif mounted in said fort, and provided with suitable pulleys at its top, and near its bottom, around which passes a cord or rope, an d devices connected with said flagstaff, and with two of said slides or plungers, whereby when the latter are hit, they are forced inwardly against the action of a spring mounted thereon and thus the cord or rope is operated to raise and lower flags connected therewith, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a toy fort, the combination with a suitable base, and bricks or blocks from which the walls are constructed, of spring-operated target slides or plungers, which pass through the sides of said fort, and are mounted on the bottom thereof, levers connected with said spring-operated target slides or plungers, and adapted to knock out portions of the Walls from within when the slides or plungers are hit, a flagstaff mounted in said fort and provided at its base with gear-wheels, said flagstaff being also provided at its top and near its bottom, with suitable pulleys, on which a rope or cord is mounted, and which are adapted to be operated by said gear-wheels, said gear-wheels being also in operative connection with two of the target slides or plungers, whereby when they are driven inwardly the inner ends thereof trip a lever and release a spring-actuated gear-wheel to operate the rope, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a toy fort, the combination with a suitable base, and bricks or blocks from which the walls are constructed, of spring-operated target slides or plungers, which pass through the sides of said fort, and are mounted on the bottom thereof, levers connected with said spring-operated target slides or plungers, and adapted to knock out portions of the walls when the slides or plungers are hit, a flagstaff mountedin said fort, and provided at its base with gear-wheels, said fiagstaff being also provided at its top and near its bottom, with suitable pulleys, on which a rope or cord is mounted, and which are adapted to be operated by said gear-wheels, said gear-wheels being also in operative connection with two of the target slides or plungers, said target slides or plungers being also located on opposite sides of the fort, each side being provided with the same number thereof, and the central slides or plungers being adapted to operate the gear-Wheels connected with the flag staff, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a toy fort, the combination witha suit able base, and bricks or blocks from which the walls are constructed, of spring-operated slides or plungers, which pass through the sides of said fort, and are mounted on the bottom thereof, levers connected with said spring-operated target slides or plungers, and adapted to knock out portions of the walls when the slides or plungers arehit, a flagstaff mounted in said fort, and provided at its base with gear-wheels, said flagstaif being also provided at its top and near its bottom, with suitable pulleys, on which a rope or cord is mounted, and which are adapted to be operated by said gear-wheels, said gear-wheels being also in operative connection with two of the target slides or plungers, said target slides or plungers being also located on opposite sides of the fort, each side being provided with the same number thereof, and the central slides or plungers being'adapted to operate the gear-wheels connected with the flagstaff, the construction and arrangement being such, that in order to operate the gear-Wheels connected with theflagstaif, the slides or plungers at each side of the central slides or plungers must first be hit or operated, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name,in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 15th day of May, 1896.

VINFIELD XVILLIAM FLYE. \Vitnesses:

GEORGE W. CLIFFORD, CARROL S. MILLIKEN. 

